1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to making hydrogen absorption compositions. More particularly, the present invention relates to making palladium/kieselguhr particles for use in hydrogen absorption processes.
2. Discussion of Background
Hydrogen-absorbing materials are well known in the prior art. Furthermore, the use of metal hydrides to absorb, extract, or remove hydrogen from an environment is also known. Several U.S. patents, including Goodell et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,650), Goodell et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,919), Helversen (U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,654), and Leppard (U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,270), disclose various hydride compositions. Also, other patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,063, by Bernstein et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,265 by Ron et al, disclose metal hydrides and their uses.
Goodell et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,919) disclose a hydrogen sorbent having approximately 40 vol. % of a hydridable metal or alloy and approximately 60 vol. % of a ballast metal, such as Ni, Cu, Fe, or Al. Also, Goodell et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,650) disclose the use of such a material to extract hydrogen from a hydrogen-containing gas stream.
Numerous methods and processes exist for making these hydrogen-storing materials. The use of drying and calcining in a process for removing hydrogen from wet air streams is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,270 by Leppard. In this patent, Leppard discusses steps for manufacturing materials used in this process. Such steps include drying and calcining the hydride-forming material.
Helversen (U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,654) discloses a hydrogen storage container filled to about 75% of capacity with a hydrogen-storing material. The material has a metal hydride coated on the surface of a diatomaceous earth or other rare earth, porous ceramic, or glass fiber. Hydrogen-storing material such as this, however, tends to breakdown during certain applications, causing plugging problems and the like.
There exists a need for producing hydrogen-absorbing metal hydrides that are not susceptible to breakdown during normal and extended use. It is believed that no such material currently exists.